


Create Worlds and Kill Minds

by JellyFishLive



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: BAMF!Dip, F/F, M/M, Violence, also I'm not writing sex, he takes no shit, neither does bill, please bear with me, theyre both badass, this is my first fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-30 19:54:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13958820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JellyFishLive/pseuds/JellyFishLive
Summary: Dipper returned from college feeling empty. The thrill of returning to Gravity Falls lasted a short while before the expected dread consumed him once more. He was happy of course, he had his friends, his family, his home, and just beyond the trees, an adventure waiting just for him. He had everything he had ever known he wanted.But he still felt as if he was waiting for something more. Something to make him feel alive.Maybe in order to feel alive, he needed to reunite with someone who once wanted him dead.Or maybe, he needs to find a way to stay alive. After all, Gravity Falls isn't safe anymore.





	1. What is Lost Will be Found

Everyone knew Gravity Falls was different than it appeared. To the untrained eye, the small town may have seemed just like any other, with its minor rivalries between rundown shops and its residents familiar with everyone they came across. At least, that's how it had appeared to Melody when she arrived in Roadkill County, Oregon. However, the longer she stayed in town, the more she began to notice the way people stayed suspiciously hesitant when it came time to talk about the tiny figures that scuttered quickly out of view, or the occasional bump in the lake that could topple a small boat.

She had originally dismissed this as her own hallucinations, a side effect from being so far away from home. When she made the big decision to move back to town and live with her boyfriend, Soos, in the “Mystery Shack,” she realized she should've been more cautious of the things that went bump in the night.

Gravity Falls is far different than it appears. Hidden in the woods are creatures, some of which would've came directly from the mind of a child, others appearing to have crawled from the pits of Hell itself. Originally, Melody had been terrified to go into the forest. She’d already had one monster try to end her life so it could download her boyfriend’s mind into a computer game, and that was in broad daylight. She couldn’t imagine what would happen to her when she was miles away from any help, shrouded in darkness.

Soos never seemed to mind much though, and he was always excited to go exploring with Melody when they were not scamming people with fake oddities and made up attractions. She had grown to love the town, along with its freaks and monsters. She loved interacting with the gnomes (although the topic of conversation always seemed to come back to her love life and how she was unavailable), and had become very social with the mermaids who found her use of two fins equally as exciting. Melody wasn’t afraid to admit she found the woods comforting, a method of escape from the stresses of reality. She enjoyed the adventures the couple would take together, even if most of the time was spent rescuing her boyfriend from a thorn bush or small gnome army.

Her and Soos found themselves exploring the woods less now that the Mystery Shack was a popular tourist spot. They always found at least one day of the month though to journey through the trees surrounding their home.The couple didn’t know much about the secrets of the town, not like their friends did, but they were still able to appreciate the magic hidden in the shadows. Most of the time they encountered the friendly creatures, and they rarely had to deal with anything dangerous.

That's why today’s adventure was all the more surprising.

It had started out like any other adventure into the Gravity Falls forest. Melody had woken up early to make sure the Shack was prepared for the next work day, while Soos packed snacks for their journey. They had already owned the shack for nine years now, and Melody was used to the routine of putting the oddities in order while her boyfriend rehearsed his lines for the upcoming audience. She had finished fairly quickly and dragged Soos out the door as he was trying to shove a full container of cupcakes into his backpack.

“Aw c'mon Melody! I almost had it!” The big man replied, upset without his treats.

“I’m sure you can survive one day without dessert. Besides, were going to be late! I wanted to say goodbye to the merpeople before they leave for the winter,” Melody replied, dragging Soos to the lake. It was decently cold outside, both of them bundled up in heavy jackets and scarves, and she knew the merpeople didn't tend to stay in cold areas for very long. She wanted to be sure to catch them before they left, considering they were secretly her favorite creatures.

“Slow down! I’m a big dude! I wasn't made to move fast!” Soos heaved, out of breath from trying to keep up with his girlfriend.

“Oh cmon Soos were almost there! Their shore is right over this hill!” Melody yelled excitedly, running up the hill to reach the hidden shore where the mermaids usually resided. It was her favorite spot to sit and speak the merpeople, and she was very thankful they invited the couple into their social group. Normally, merfolk were very distant from other species, especially humans, who often mistake them for some unintelligent fish. The fact the merpeople trusted Melody and Soos not to harm them was huge honor.

However, when Melody reached the top of the hill, she found the shore to empty of merfolk. Instead there was a figure lying on the sand, half submerged in the freezing water, its legs moving in rhythm with the waves. It didn't stir even when the waves washed over its face. She was horrified when she noticed the dark red liquid that surrounded the body, the blood stained the bleached white sand.

“You okay Melody? You look a little freaked ou- oh. Oh no,” Soos said as he reached the top of the hill and noticed the same horrific sight. Without a second thought, Soos set down his backpack and slid down the hill, stumbling when he reached the sand.

“Soos! What are you doing?! Stay away from that thing! We don't know what it is!” Melody screamed, but the man had already rushed over to the figure and knelt down in the blood coming from its stomach. His knees grew warmer as the blood saturated the fabric of his pants, and he felt a bit sick. Ignoring the bile rising in his throat, he pressed his head lightly against the figures chest.

“It’s a human! Melody, he’s still breathing!” Soos screamed, motioning with his arm for her to come down the hill.

Terrified of what waited at the bottom, Melody sat on her butt and slid down the hill, jumping up as soon as her feet touched the sand. She ran over to the two men, kneeling down in the blood soaked sand and laying her head on his chest. Soos was right; it was barely there but the boy was definitely breathing. She studied his body. He was extremely pale due to the fact he's been floating in freezing water, and the cold wind certainly wasn't helping. His lips were blue and his hair was soaking wet from the waves rushing over his face. His hair was stained a dark red due to its submersion in blood, but she could see bits of blonde poking through. He seemed to be around twenty-years-old.

“Did you remember to pack that picnic blanket? Melody asked Soos, taking it from him as soon as he pulled it out of his bag. She went straight to work, ripping off a strip of cloth and covering the boy’s legs with the longer portion. The makeshift doctor pulled the boy’s head into her lap and starting wrapping the blanket strip around the wound on his side. She was sure to wrap it tight, but blood continued pouring from the wound.

“We need to get him to a hospital,” Melody began, but realized there was no point. The nearest hospital was in town, miles away from where they were now. She could’ve called them and asked what to do, but both Soos and her agreed they would have no need to bring their phones, not that they would work well this far into the woods.

“It's too far, and he’s not looking too good. We could bring him to the Shack, I think the Stans left some medical stuff behind.” Soos said, offering up the best option they had. Melody nodded and stood up, wrapping one of the man’s arms around her neck and motioning for Soon to take the other. Not that it was entirely necessary, considering the boy was half her weight.

Being careful not to hurt the man, the couple carried the almost-corpse back to the Mystery Shack.

~~~~

He was surprised when he felt himself gain consciousness, considering he didn't think he’d be lucky enough to survive. He supposed at this point all he could rely on was whatever shred of luck he had. The man was also surprised that he was comfortable. He couldn't exactly remember where he was when he passed out, but he was certain the location wasn’t as warm as where he was now. He felt… nice.

Well, he did up until he tried to sit up. The man immediately threw a hand over his mouth to stop the shriek that almost escaped his lips. His torso felt like it was on fire, or like someone was stabbing him with thousands of needles. He touched his side and found a poorly done row of stitches holding his stomach together. He assumed it would need improvement, but he believed that right now it was what was keeping him alive.

Did I do this? He thought to himself. No. He couldn't've. He passed out soon after he was wounded. So who…?

The man’s head was spinning from the loss of blood, but he forced himself to remain sitting up, wrapping himself in the blankets he had woken up underneath. The light of the room was already blinding enough with his eyes closed, but he didn’t trust his surroundings enough to keep them shut. With much difficulty, the man opened his eyes and found himself on a couch he didn’t own, inside a room filled with clashing colors and strange decorations adorning the walls. He felt odd, almost as if he’d been here before. The rotting, wooden staircase, the strange weapons placed on bookshelves, the triangular shaped window pane. He felt a twisting pain in his stomach. His discomfort heightened as he continued examining the small details of the room, almost as if he knew he was not welcome. He suddenly realized with extreme certainty where he was.

 _Shit. No! Not here! Anywhere but here!_ He screamed in his head. The man quickly tried to stand but found himself in too much pain to move.

“Oh thank God! You’re awake!” A woman cried. He tensed up and watched her walk in. She appeared unthreatening, holding a tray full of sandwiches and chips with one hand and attempting to fix her unruly hair with the other. Her pants were soaked in blood, and it made the man uneasy knowing it was his own. He didn’t like how vulnerable he felt in front of her, or that for the first time he had no idea what was going on. Was this fear?

 _Was she the one who saved me?_ He thought to himself. He recognized her, briefly seeing her face in passing years ago, so it wasn't as if he was bothered by being saved by a stranger. He was more worried that she would recognize him, and what would happen when she did.

“I wasn’t sure what you would like, so I mad-” She stopped as soon as she looked up at his face. With a loud crash, the glass tray fell from her hands and shattered upon impact with the floor. She didn't seem to care though, she was much too concerned with what she was looking at. The man quickly looked away, but it was too late.

“Your e-eyes...why are they y-yellow?” The woman asked, shaking. She had never seen the man before, but his eyes fit every horrible story she’s heard from the citizens of Gravity Falls. She could hear her boyfriend shout her name, but she couldn't respond. She was frozen in fear. If the stories were true...

“It’s you? Isn’t it?”


	2. Strangers Are Always Unwelcome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah they post again nearly two months later! Sorry, I've got no excuse. Hope you enjoy!

The day was gloomy. Clouds took over the sky and casted a shadow on every house, plant, or creature. Large puddles of water splashed aggressively on the side of the bus, creating a distorted vision of the outside world when one tried to look through the window. It was freezing as well, every occupant of the rundown vehicle dressed in no less than three layers. The cold and dreary weather seemed to affect the mood of every person there, creating a depressed silence no one had the heart to break.

Despite this, one passenger couldn’t contain his excitement. Dipper Pines, proud resident of Gravity Falls Oregon, was finally returning to his childhood home after a long four years away for college. Sure he’d had fun at school, but he always found himself counting down to his last day, when he could finally get out of the stuffy city and back to the open air. In Gravity Falls, he never felt alone. The town was filled with people who loved him, and he was excited to finally see his friends after so long. Most of all, he couldn't wait to see his sister, who had finally returned to the country after her trip abroad to study fashion in Paris with her girlfriend, Pacifica. It had been well over a year since the residents of Gravity Falls had seen the twins, and when the news about their return reached the small town, a huge party was planned to celebrate the reunion. While he wasn’t a big fan of parties, even Dipper couldn’t help but smile at the thought of spending time with everyone again. 

His foot continued tapping the entire ride, its fast repetitive motion matching his heartbeat. It continued until the bus stopped, the door opening to a patch of grass on the side of the road. It looked deserted, the only evidence of it being a bus stop was a sign given various dents at the stem, making it no more than three feet tall. 

“Gravity Falls.” The driver said carelessly, opening the doors with a loud creak. 

Dipper had already been walking down the aisle of the bus as it had stopped. He stumbled a bit when he felt the bus come to a strict halt, but then ran out into the rain when he no longer felt the swaying motion of the vehicle. He recognized the bus stop, it was the same one he had been coming to for years. The memories of getting dropped off to spend another exciting summer in Gravity Falls flooded his mind and filled the young man with warmth, despite the freezing rain.

When Dipper heard the screeching tires of the bus pull away, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Part of him wanted to walk through the woods all the way to the Shack, the anticipation of adventure washing over him, but he knew walking through a forests full of monsters while it was pouring outside wasn't the smartest idea. With a small sigh, he pulled out his phone and dialed his ride, happy that the man on the other line picked up almost immediately. 

“Dude! Dip! This is Dipper right?” Soos asked, his voice breaking a bit due to poor connection. 

Dipper couldn't help but laugh at his friends excitement. “Yeah dude it’s me. I just got to town, mind giving me a ride to the Mystery Shack?” 

“I’m on my way,” Soos replied over the sound of a purring engine in the background.

“Thanks man. Is Mabel there yet?” 

“Nah, but she texted me saying her flight landed in California. She’ll probably be here tomorrow afternoon.” 

“Alright, see you soon.” Dipper replied, hanging up and putting his phone back in his pocket. The chill running down his spine made him clutch the jacket tighter. Even though it was summer time, Gravity Falls always found a way to make new visitors feel distant or uncomfortable. Luckily for him, he wasn’t a visitor, rather a part of the town itself. The rain only made him feel more welcome. 

It didn’t take Soos very long to arrive, so Dipper threw his belongings into the trunk and hurled himself into the front seat. Soos didn't even give him time to buckle before speeding off to the Mystery Shack. 

“Thanks for picking me up Soos. I owe ya one,” Dipper said, hastily buckling his seatbelt and smiling at the man in the driver's seat. Nothing much had changed about him, he was still the same big, funny guy as he was when Dipper was a kid. However, he did notice the small changes on Soos’ face, like the light bags under his eyes and the barely visible wrinkles above his eyebrows. It was evident that the man appeared older, and that working long hours at the mystery shack gave him little opportunity for sleep, but Dipper knew he would always be a kid at heart. 

“Don’t sweat it dude, we weren't doing anything. Me and Melody have been taking the day slow and enjoying our alone time for once.” 

“For once? Do you guys normally have people over?” Dipper asked. 

Soos seemed to freeze in his seat, jerking the wheel a bit as he did so. Besides nearly hitting an oblivious squirrel in the road, Soos regained his composure and put on a hesitant smile. “Oh yeah dude. All the time! You know me, party animal and all.”

Dipper sat up a bit straighter, unnerved by his friend’s reaction. Soos’ had always been a bad liar, which was surprising considering he had idolized a conman for the majority of his life. Not that he lied much, in fact Dipper couldn’t recall the last time Soos had lied to him, but his refusal to meet Dipper’s eyes was a sure sign in itself. However, before Dipper could call him out, Soos continued talking.

“So how was college life? You're gonna start that show soon right?” He began, tapping his fingers on the wheel as the two pulled into town. 

If the man had learned anything in his years spent with Dipper’s great uncle, it was how to distract an egoist. Though Dipper didn’t tend to think highly of himself, he knew for a fact he was excellent in his area of study, and would take any opportunity he could to talk about his plans for the greatest ghost hunting show to ever exist. At least that was his original plan, however nowadays he was more interested in compiling as much research about Gravity Falls as he could, and documenting it to accompany his written findings. The love of the unknown he had as a child was just as strong ten years later, and Dipper was itching to run into the woods surrounding the shack and reunite himself with the creatures and monsters residing there. Most thought he was insane to care so much about the impossible, but it was the only thing that made him feel alive anymore. 

In truth, college life had sucked for Dipper. Of course he loved learning about film and literature, but being cooped up in a city where nothing ever changes had really taken a toll on him. Dipper had always been someone to crave adventure and depended on everyday providing him with a different discovery. As a kid, he was able to considering trying a new flavor of jam an exciting discovery, but now that the young adult had grown tired of the simple joys in life, everything seemed depressingly average. He hoped Gravity Falls would once again provide a sanctuary from the tortures of normalcy. 

Still, Dipper entertained Soos with his exciting adventures of skateboarding from class to class, meeting conspiracy theorist that may have been even stranger than he was, and experimenting with the same sex. Soos however didn’t care about the fact he was interested in boys, he was just surprised that by “experimenting,” Dipper had meant dating and not using them as lab rats.

“I’m fully capable of dating someone without making them into a science experiment, thanks.” Dipper said, rolling his eyes. 

“Right dude, sure. It's not like you did that with that girl dude in 2013.” 

“Vanessa was a vampire and you know it. And stop acting like I cut people open! Recording someone’s diet is not making them some research project.”

“Whatever you say man.”

The rest of the ride passed by peacefully, the two men discussing anything from their favorite tv shows to gossiping about the people in town. When they finally arrived at the Mystery Shack, Dipper was relieved to be out of a vehicle and allow his feet to touch the ground. He was even more excited to be reunited with bits of his childhood. His great uncles wouldn’t be home, they’ve been spending the past ten years circling the world searching for anomalies and treasure to put the Falls to shame. They visit the town every once in a while, but it’s almost impossible to contact someone floating in the middle of the ocean, so they’ve been out of touch with the rest of the Pines family. Of course Dipper missed them, but he couldn't help but be envious of them as well. His gruncles were able to travel the world and live their entire lives in a never ending adventure, but Dipper could only taste it when he visited Gravity Falls.

The younger man looked around at the woods surrounding the shack. To anyone who was too stubborn to believe in magic or the unknown, the woods were just trees and shrubs. However, Dipper saw it for what it truly was. He could see the dents in the canopy caused by manotaurs, as well as the tiny tracks of shrunken deer circling the trees. He was home, and he expected to be filled with a sense of wonder after returning to Gravity Falls. After all, that was one of the many reasons he came back to the falls, to find the desire to stay alive. To find something in his life that was truly exciting. 

Except he felt none of that. Staring at the forest surrounding his childhood home, he felt no sense of freedom or thrill. He felt nothing at all. 

“You feeling okay dude?” Soos asked, resting a hand on Dipper’s shoulder. The young man flinched, forgetting he was not alone. He quickly put a smile on his face and went to grab his things. ]

“I’m fine. You ready to head inside? It’s freezing,’ Dipper said, pretending his answer was true. As he grabbed his things and attempted to head inside and out of the rain, Soos quickly stepped in front of him, blocking the door. ‘Uh, Soos? Can I get in? I’m soaked.”

Soos rocked back in forth on his feet, holding his own hands, a trait he adapted to show when he's nervous. ‘Yeah, it’s just... there's something I haven't told you dudes…”

Dipper was concerned about the look on Soos’ face, considering the older man seemed as if he would pass out where he stood. His face had turned almost white, and he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand as he made a fist with the other. ‘What is it?” Dipper asked, setting down his belongings on the porch and clutching his arms around himself in a feeble attempt to block the chill from creeping up the rest of his body. 

It felt like an eternity before Soos spoke. “You see, you can’t freak out. It’s really not a huge deal, everything's been okay so far...”

“Soos, what are you talking about?”

Before his friend could respond, the front door flew open and caused the man to jump out of the way. Behind the door revealed a woman clearly unaffected by the concept of age. Her light hair was tucked up in a baseball cap, obviously to prevent it from getting as dirty as the rest of her clothing. Across her apron, shorts, and legs and unidentifiable substance was splattered, covering her almost completely. The scent creeping out of the windows of the shack smelled strangely of burned chocolate. 

“Dipper! Oh my god I’ve missed you so much! I would hug you but-” Melody began before she was cut off by two arms wrapped around her tightly. Dipper laughed as Soos lifted his girlfriend off her feet and spun her around, causing what he hoped to be cookie dough to fly off of her. Even after a decade of being together, the two never lost that new couple spark.

“It’s good to see you too Melody,’ Dipper laughed, stepping past her into the doorway and dropping his suitcase inside, ‘How have you been?”

It took her nearly a full minute to answer, having to cease her laughter after Soos had said his hellos. “Great actually! The shack has been making some serious business lately, but who cares about that? Come on in, I want to hear all about how you kicked college’s ass.”

Dipper lead the way through the front door and sat on the couch, thankful not much had changed in his childhood home. The walls were still covered in stains from suspicious liquids and the furniture was littered with various types of weapons, a trait shared between the the two generations of Pines that resided here. There were some differences however, nothing major like a clean room or a decent color scheme, but enough to catch the wandering eyes of the self-proclaimed detective. An excess of pillows and blankets surrounded the couch, neatly folded and stacked to seem as if they belonged. He also noticed the odd behavior of the couple, such as both parties constantly eyeing the door and the fourth plate Melody had brought to the living room table. 

“Expecting company?” Dipper asked, as he took his plate from his friend and began filling it with cookies. 

Soos looked up in a unintentional show of panic, but Melody didn’t skip a beat, a trait Dipper had always respected in her, “I made a few extra for Waddles, I figured he would be showing up any time soon. The little guy has been so excited for Mabel showing up, he's been running around like crazy trashing the place,” she said with a smile, sitting on the floor next to Soos. “Now, I’m pretty sure you still owe me some college stories.”

Dipper wasn’t one to disappoint, at least when it came to storytelling. The cookies lay forgotten as he recounted everything from the boring lectures to the major projects he and his team were developing. She was surprised to hear that he ditched the ghost hunting show idea, but was equally excited to find out he found anomalies as fun as she did rather than just holding an interest in dissecting them. They talked for hours about the various myths and legends they had discovered over the years, tuning out the rattling of rain against the windows and the sharp yells of thunder that were closing in around them. It wasn’t until the snores coming from Soos, who so gracefully fell asleep in Melody’s lap, overpowered their excited discussion that the two decided it was time to succumb to the night. 

“Night Dipper, try to get some rest okay?” Melody smiled, lightly tapping her boyfriend’s head until he rustled himself awake. 

“No promises.” 

However after he made the long journey upstairs and pulled the covers of his old bed up to his chin, he couldn’t help but listen to the rain and watch the shadows dance along the floorboards. Dipper knew most people would find his situation similar to that of a frightened child, but he found the tapping of tree branches against his window to be a lulling comfort. Almost grounding, in a way, like his mind would float off into oblivion if he didn’t match his heartbeat to the steady tapping of the branches. It was not long before his eyes grew heavier, and he fell asleep choosing to believe Waddles was the culprit behind the scratches on the walls.

\----

Dipper woke with a start to the sound of a door flying open. He would’ve guessed it was his friends hoping to get a quick snack, but the unmistakable sound of rain grew louder from the first floor. The young man groaned as he sat up, checking the time on his old school alarm clock at his bedside. The bright red numerals flashed 2AM brightly, causing him to squint. The rain had grown louder, the shadows sprinting up his walls and jumping around the room, making him dizzy when he tried to follow. 

He contemplated going back to sleep, hoping that Melody was simply letting Waddles outside for a bathroom break. But before he could even lay back down, a loud and echoing crash rang from downstairs. Dipper quickly shot up again, and instinctively fished for the flashlight he had kept under his bed for years. He was surprised to see it still lit up in a blinding light when he flipped the switch. Slipping on a hoodie, he rushed from his room and crept quietly down the stairs. 

Dipper wasn’t sure what he had expected to see, but the sight before him made him cover his mouth to stifle the surprised gasp he almost let out. Standing before him was someone who, simply put, was soaked to the bone. The figure slipped off a thin, black jacket and placed it on the coat rack behind him as if he had done so a million times before, before shielding his eyes from the light Dipper was currently shining in his face. 

“Shit Question Mark, would you put that out? It’s just me, relax,” the voice chuckled, the pitch much higher than Dipper would have expected for someone his size. He wasn’t large, per say, in fact he was practically swimming in the bright blue sweater that was dripping water onto the floor below. He was just tall, much taller than Dipper, who slightly stood above him on the steps, still clutching the flashlight and trying to stop shaking, ‘Yes I’m well aware of what time it is, you don’t have to nag me about it. Yeesh, you two are like the parents I never wanted.”

The figure turned his head and looked directly at Dipper, and he couldn’t stop himself from shining the light directly into the strangers eyes. The man turned away again but Dipper had already confirmed what he hoped wouldn’t be true. His habit of checking the eyes of everyone who came to his door had never once yielded any results, a streak Dipper was terrified of breaking. Yet, here he was, trembling at the yellow orbs that shined in the dark. 

The figure laughed and moved to speak again before he was cut off. “ Who are you?” Dipper asked, palming the walls for anything he could use to defend himself. He almost wished he hadn’t spoken, because the man before him stopped trying to block the light from his eyes and snapped his head to stare directly into Dipper’s own. The yellow light protruding from the stranger’s eyes made the young man want to sink to his knees and cry, but he couldn’t move. He knew he should be afraid, and he was, but something else was stirring inside of him as the figure regained its composure once more. Seconds before, the man had been frozen, unsure of how to react, yet now he seemed as if another word would send him over the edge into madness. 

“Who are you?” Dipper asked again, anger seeping off his tongue as he straightened to face the man. No, the monster, the very creature who had caused Dipper to wear long sleeves summer after summer and constantly kept him awake with memories that were much worse than any nightmare his mind could imagine. He was afraid, but more than anything, he was angry. 

The creature before him twisted his scowl into crooked smile, his eyes flashing a brilliant gold. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about me already, Pine Tree.”

The flashlight shattered upon impact with the floor, and within seconds Bill Cipher’s head was slammed against the wall, with Dipper Pines’ hands clasped tightly around his throat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment letting me know what you think!


	3. A Foe Twice Defeated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! I have zero excuses, I just had no idea what I wanted to do with this story. However, I do now! Now theres a plot! Enjoy another flashback chapter.

“It’s you, isn't it?” 

For the first time in his entire existence, Bill had no idea what to do. He was in a form completely new to him, and it was damaged to the point he couldn’t think straight through the pain. The one physical feeling he enjoyed about humans didn’t seem as appealing when it wasn't self inflicted. His side hurt like hell, and the cuts across the rest of his body made him feel like he was drowning in his own wounds. He was pathetic. He couldn’t escape, couldn't fight, and he was trapped in a house full of people that wanted to kill him. Though he had never felt this emotion before now, Bill was certain the twisting sensation in his stomach was a result of the fact he was scared out his mind. 

But he wasn’t about to let them know that. 

“So you have heard of me! I didn’t realize I was such a big hit! Well I’m flattered, but let me introduce myself out of common courtesy at least! The names Bill, and you're Melody, right?” Bill smirked, moving himself out from under the blanket to prevent himself from hiding. He tried to stand, but ended up awkwardly stumbling and just sitting on the arm of the couch, pressing his arm against his wound.

Melody backed away, and didn’t register that Soos had entered the room until he put hand on her shoulder. She visibly flinched at the contacted before she realized who it was.

“Melody? What's wrong? What happened?” Soos asked, brushing away the broken glass surrounding them with his foot. 

“And good ol’ Question Mark! It's been awhile!” Bill exclaimed

“Question Mark? Wait, are you that triangle guy?” Soos asked, wrapping his arms around Melody and backing away. He hadn't seen the demon since he had tried to take over the world, and even then he had hardly spoken to him. Any interaction between Bill and Soos were normally quick and consisted mainly of the triangle focusing his attention elsewhere and Soos fearing for his life. Now, the demon was sitting in his living room after he and his girlfriend had just supposedly saved his life. This was definitely far outside what Soos was used to, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't just as scared as he had been back then.

Triangle guy? Seriously? “The one and only!” Bill said, sitting up a bit straighter and ignoring the sharp sting in his side as a result.

Soos pulled Melody closer to him, and pushed himself in front of her smaller frame. “But… you're supposed to be-”

“Dead? Well I'm pretty damn close to it, don't you think?” Bill questioned, using his free hand to gesture to the bloody wound on his side. The demon struggled keeping his composure. Question Mark was right, he should be dead. He could remember every ounce of energy slowly spilling out of him as his life force withered away. Yet here he was, weak, but still very much alive. While Bill knew this thought should comfort him, he was still surrounded by a family of monster hunters who had tried to kill him almost a decade before. He doubted they would fail if they tried again. 

Melody frowned and looked around the room for possible weapons, not that they were hidden in the first place. However, she couldn't help but allow her eyes to wander back to the demon on the couch. She knew creatures like him were able to regenerate, she even heard stories of how he'd purposely hurt himself or grow parts of his body from nothing. The realization in itself was terrifying, but Bill didn't seem as if he intended to repair himself. His wound, while they did the best they could, was still oozing blood from underneath the bandages wrapped around it. His hair was stained a hideous brown, and she wondered if he was bleeding from there too. With the scratches on his wrists and practically blue complexion, the demon look like a walking corpse. She might have guessed he was enjoying this, if he wasn't biting his tongue every time he moved a muscle. He obviously would prefer to heal himself, but he hasn't.   
What if he can't? 

“How are you feeling?’ Melody asked, retracting herself from her boyfriends arms and stepping closer to Bill. The demon seemed surprised at the question, and simply gripped his side tighter in response. Melody continued moving forward. 

“Melody! What are you doing?! He’s dangerous!” Soos yelled out reaching out for Melody.

“I’d listen to your human there, didn’t anyone tell ya to watch out for strangers? Stay away from things you don't understand? Don’t fucking touch other dimensional creatures unless you plan on losing that fucking arm? Woah woah hey watch it!” Bill struggled as Melody kneeled down and grabbed his free arm. 

“My parents told me...most of those things, and they're the same people that told me to help people in need, and you pal are in need of some serious help if you don't want to turn into a red stain on the couch.” Melody took out the spare bandages she was using earlier from her pocket and began wrapping them around the demons wrist. He wasn’t struggling anymore, simply watching here tie the fabric off with a scowl.

“So uh, Bill? What’s your deal man? What are you doing here?” Soos asked, keeping a respectable distance away from Cipher. 

“What am I doing here? It seems to me like the two of you brought me here, shouldn't I be asking that question?’ Bill retorted with a smirk before Melody pinched the skin on his forearm, causing him to snatch his arm away as she grabbed his other and began wrapping the wrist on that one as well. 

“We brought you here because you were hurt, and we thought you deserved to be helped. Now that I know you don’t, I’m starting to regret helping you.” She replied. 

“You say as you continue helping me.” Bill laughed, earning himself another sharp pinch on the arm.

“So Cipher, what happened to you? Do you remember?” Melody asked, working her way up all the cuts on his arm.

Bill felt like snapping. He felt like using whatever energy was left inside of him and mutilating the two fleshbags standing in front of him. He wanted to find where the Pines were hiding in the Shack and tearing each of them limb from limb, one at time, so the rest would have to watch their loved ones be mutilated before them. Shooting Star first, then Stanley, Sixer, and finally the biggest pain in his ass he’d ever had to deal with. He wanted Pine Tree to watch as everything he loved, everything he worked so hard to protect, was reduced to nothing more than a unidentifiable pile of flesh and blood. 

What happened to him? The Pines happened to him.

Bill’s eyes flashed a violent red and he glared at Melody as he spoke, “Of course I remember. Those friends of yours tried to kill me. Tried to have me erased. That's not a quick and painless process, ya know. It tears your entire physical form to shreds and reduces you to nothing but a negative thought. A bad feeling that passes. With Stanley’s memories gone I was locked away with them in the back of his mind.”

Melody slowed her hands and shivered, scared of him continuing the story after he had already revealed what seemed unimaginable, ‘If you were locked away with his memories, you must've been able to get out when they brought his memories back.” 

“Right ya are! This one's a keeper Question Mark! She's got enough brain in her skull to make up for your lack of one!” Bill laughed as Soos’ face turned a brilliant red. 

Melody ignored him, ‘But what happened after that? Why are you just now showing up?’

Bill lost the smile on his face, as it was replaced with confusion, “Jeez, here I thought I came back into existence pretty quickly! Made myself this fleshbag physical form so I could toy with you all in under a day! He only got his memories back yesterday.”

Melody stopped bandaging Bill’s arm and looked up at him. He must’ve been joking, there's no way he would have thought the apocalypse he created nearly a decade ago had simply ended last week. Melody looked at Soos, and was reassured to find he was as confused as she was. She knew Bill was crazy, and that many of the things he said were simply to draw his victims into a state of disorientation, but the demon seemed fully convinced that what he was saying was true.

“Bill, how long do you think it’s been since Weirdmaggedon?” Melody asked, dropping her hands into her lap.

Bill felt unsure, he didn't like the way these humans were looking at him. They almost seemed, scared. Not of him, but for him. “Just so you know, trying to measure time is a fool's errand, but if it'll get you to stop looking at me like that… I’d say a few days? Maybe a week?”

Melody shook her head and stood up to stand next to Soos. Soos stepped forward to hug her as he could tell she was scared for whatever reaction would come from the demon sitting before them. “I'm sorry dud- uh, demon, but Weirdmageddon was almost a decade ago. Stan got his memories a week after it ended, so if all that junk you're saying is true… what have you been doing for the past nine years?”

Bill did something he hasn't done before in his entire existence, he froze. Everything he had been relying on, everything he thought he was sure of came crumbling down. He’d convinced himself that everything that had happened to him had been the fault of the Pines, but if they thought he’d been dead for almost ten years…

No. They had to be lying to him. Trying to fill his mind with tricks so they could stay safe, so they could convince them it wasn't their fault. 

Bill laughed, clutching at his stomach. “Oh boy! You almost had me there big guy! But if you think some white lies and pity will save the Pines family from my revenge you've got another thing coming. Speaking of Pines, where are the asshole kids that ruined my life? I figured they would have come running when they heard the lady here lose her shit in fear.”

Melody scowled at the demon and crossed her arms. “Their not here. They haven't been here in years. They went off to college, you know, now that they're adults.”

Bill Cipher is an excellent liar, which means he has the ability to tell whether or not someone is lying. As much as he would love to believe they were, the couple in front of him was not lying in the slightest, which meant the one thing Bill feared most became his reality...

He had no idea what was going on. 

He wanted to kill the humans in front of him. He wanted to take out his anger and frustration and fear on the innocent people that have done nothing but help him all day. What did he care? He was a demon, a soulless being from worlds away that didn't care about the wellbeing of anyone but himself. But he couldn't kill them, it would only cause more problems for him later, which once again left him no ideas of what to do. He wanted to scream. He wanted to tear off his bandages and cause someone pain, even if it was himself. He wanted to burn the entire shack to the ground with himself inside because he simply couldn't comprehend the idea of being powerless.

But he didn't do any of that. Instead, he did the one thing he never imagined himself doing.  
He stood up and ran right out the front door into the freezing woods.

_____

Bill Cipher had never felt cold before, but he sure did now. He could finally understand why humans wore so many extra fabrics and skins before they went outside with the temperature as low as this. He wished he had something, anything to shield the harsh winds beating against this bare skin. Unfortunately, all he had were scraps of barely dry fabric hardly holding itself together around him. He was freezing, and he was sure sitting by a mass of water isn't helping his chances of getting warm. 

He didn’t know where else to go. As magical as the woods of Gravity Falls were during the day, the true monsters of the forests came out at night. Not that any of these beasts had scared him before, anytime he journeyed out during nightfall he was in flesh that didn't belong to him. He didn't care how scarred or mauled it became. However, now that he was stuck in this form, the idea of anything happening to this body was too risky. So he came back to the only thing that felt familiar to him, the shore, now stained red with his own blood. He sat right next to the puddle of it, his knees clutched to his chest and his head in hands. He was shivering from the winds hitting him, but he couldn't focus on that right now. 

The demon always prided himself on knowing everything, from when a person would take their last breath, to what dimension would crumble to ash in the next hour. He always had the answers, was always so sure of what would come next, and especially everything that had already occured. But with everything that has happened in the past hour, he had to admit the one thing he never thought imaginable. 

He couldn't remember anything that had happened to him in the past nine years. 

Nothing. Nada. Zip. He had completely lost his memories, and he had no idea what to do.

No one in this town would be smart enough to help him, not that they would want to anyway. He had almost destroyed their lives a decade ago, no one would even want him alive.

Question Mark and the girl did. They helped you. 

But they couldn't help his get their memories back. Soos was hardly capable of speaking to him, let alone working with him. And Melody, she was smart, but not smart enough to crack something even Bill Cipher could hardly comprehend. 

They helped you. They should hate you, but they saved you. Who’s to say someone else wont do the same?

Wow. Sometimes the voices in Bill’s head could actually make a compelling point. Who knew? But that still didn't answer the question of who could help him. 

He needed someone who was not only smart, but also someone determined. Someone who would stop at nothing to see a task completed. Someone who loved mysteries and solving clues and the paranormal horror of Gravity Falls just as much as he did.

He needed someone so deprived of the thrill of adventure that they'd be willing to help someone who nearly killed them just to have a taste of it again. 

He needed Dipper Pines.


	4. Warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill finds out what its like to be warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is super short. I was going to continue writing it with the start of the next chapter, but because this is the last time we go back to how Bill ended up at the shack, I decided to just split them into two chapters. Enjoy!

It was too cold. The air enveloping the forest was freezing, causing even the leaves on the branches to shiver in the wind. The merpeople were long gone, hiding out in caves or some making the daring journey out to the ocean in hopes of finding warmth. Bill had tried his own strategy, attempting to tap into his own weakened magic to create a fire. It was obviously useless, he was so bruised and rubbed raw that all that came was a few dull sparks from his fingertips, but he continued trying. His stomach growled, he knew hunger as a demon but it was always more of a survivalistic thought of feeding rather than an overwhelming urge and a gut wrenching reminder he hadn’t eaten in…

...for all he knew, the last nine years. 

It wasn't even that the memories were a blur, like the recurring feeling of childhood you can’t picture. There was just nothing there, not even a space in his head where he can imagine his thoughts living. To him it was like the last nine years did not happen, but looking around he was sure they did. Bill loved Gravity Falls, contrary to popular belief. He just didn't love what most people did. He never cared about the “beautiful weather,” or the lasting bonds all the townspeople had. He didn't even care about the hidden mysteries and secrets within the trees, he knew them all. 

All he cared about was how alive he felt here. 

Living in the Nightmare Realm was fun of course (a literal dimension of infinite chaos, what's not to love?), but Bill always relished in the moments he got to visit the town. People love the air because it's laced with magic, just breathing her makes you feel like your floating. His power doesn't seem like an endless ocean full of rushing currents, rather a controlled stream, floating him towards whatever his gut feels to be the most exciting. Gravity Falls was its own pocket of twisted reality, and the area operated on its own free will rather than relying on the control of someone. It was nice to be free from his power feeding dimensions for a while to be part of something that breathed and made its own life. 

You’re starting to sound like that kid. 

Dipper Pines. 

Bill knew Dipper inside and out. He knew the inner workings of his mind, his deepest desires and fears, even the horrible thoughts that seep out from the darkest corners of his head. Bill could write a book on every innocent or twisted trait of the particular Pines, he had stalked him for the entirety of his first summer in the Falls, yet even after that, the kid still found ways to surprise the demon. The human thought the tiniest of possibilities through, like what the consequences would be if he had a PB&J for breakfast as opposed to cereal. Miniscule things no one else would give a second thought to, he overanalyzed. But when it came to life or death, the course of his own reality, he dived headfirst off of his own gut feeling. Dipper chose paths that conflicted with his own desires, sometimes even his own morals. It was strange, seeing someone so dedicated to completing a task they blur the line between right and wrong.

Bill was wrong, and he needed Dipper Pines to make him right again. The human may not like it (the thought made Bill smile), but he was going to help Bill get his memories back as if his life depended on it. 

Maybe it will, Bill hasn't decided yet. 

Branches snapped behind him, and he fought down the urge to jump up and run. It came again, twigs breaking and leaves rustling, then voices. That had Bill up, the adrenaline in his veins strong enough he felt a warmth grow in his hand. A small flame of blue fire lit up his face, and he smiled as he held it out in front of him, hoping to catch the intruders. More voices came from the trees, and the demon groaned upon recognition. 

“Ow! Soos! That’s my foot!” Melody shouted as she stepped out from the trees at the top of the hill. Her flashlight shined down into the water, causing Bill to cover his eyes from the light. He heard more yelps grow louder and opened his eyes to find the girl sitting on her butt at the bottom of the hill, soaking wet and covered in mud and leaves. He contemplated letting her fumble her way back up through the six layers of fabric she was wearing, but decided he could get rid of them faster if he just helped her up. He extended a hand to the flailing mass of clothing and she took it without a second thought. 

“Whew! Thank you.” Melody said, trying to brush the leaves out of her hair.

“Don't mention it, now would you get Question Mark here up too or are you both completely useless?” Bill laughed, watching the large man roll down the hill and land face first in the damp sand. Melody helped Soos up and absentmindedly brushed the dirt and sand off his jacket. 

“Fancy seeing the two of you here again. As entertaining as this has been, please go the fuck away. I'm trying to be miserable in peace, thanks,” Bill said, losing the smile and turning his back to the couple to sit back in the freezing sand.

“Dude, you’re gonna freeze out here.”

“Seems convenient for you.”

“Bill, seriously. You’re turning blue, again! You’re going to die if you stay out here, and I don’t think any amount of your magic will save you from that.” Melody said strongly, but took a step back as she pointed at the fizzling flame in Cipher’s hands. He shook his hand to put it out, already feeling dizzy from the amount of effort it took just to keep that small spark alive. 

“Well what do you suggest I do? Come live with you? Lets not forget you all tried to kill me a decade ago.” Bill said, rubbing his eyes and wrapping his arms around himself. 

“You say that as if you didn’t try to do the same thing dude!’ Soos exclaimed. 

` “Look, I’m not saying I’m thrilled about having you live in the shack with us, but I also don't want you roaming around out here and getting yourself, and others, into trouble. Plus, this town is finally starting to actually interact and live with the monsters and creatures here! We don't need a mutilated body of a former demon found in woods throwing a wrench in that.’ Melody said, taking the large blanket she had wrapped around her shoulders and throwing it over Bill’s. ‘I get it, we have no reason to like or trust each other. But I’m not thinking of you as an enemy right now. I’m thinking of you as someone who is in need of some serious help.” 

Melody held out her hand, and the look on her face. . . was she smiling? Question Mark still seemed a bit hesitant around him, but even he looked certain of what the woman was saying. 

Bill was getting warmer. 

___________

He can’t remember why he told the couple he agreed to come back. Maybe it was something along the lines of he needed energy to destroy their dimension again. Or that he gained power off of making fleshlings lives miserable. Either of those were much more akin to his personality than the real reason he came back.

The demon wasn’t wearing the rags his clothes had been reduced to. Apparently Dipper had left tons of old clothes from the last time he stayed in Gravity Falls by ignoring the pile growing in the laundry room. Bill was wearing a very oversized pair of sweatpants and a hoodie with a big green pine tree on it. He didn’t even have the energy to scoff at how ironic this was. He set his mug filled with boiling liquid (hot chocolate, Melody had called it) on the counter so he could cover his still damp hair with the hood, before immediately picking up the mug again and taking a large drink. His taste buds felt like they were on fire, and his throat burned with a comfortable warmth. He kicked the blanket that was covering him higher up onto his chest and pulled it up to cover his chin. 

It was late. The couple had gone to bed hours ago, but the demon couldn’t sleep. He had just grabbed whatever reading material around the house looked vaguely interesting and stuffed his nose into the pages. All the shiny lights above his head went black, but Melody had lit a bunch of candles for him after he agreed not to push any of them over. He had kept them on so long that a lot of them went out.

Bill stared at the candle on the side table. It was his primary source of light at the moment, and he watched as the dimming orange light flickered and went out. Bill closed his eyes as the darkness filled the room. 

He opened them again when he felt a familiar warmth touch his eyelids. The candle had relit itself, but instead of a bright orange flame, the fire was blue. It was higher and brighter than any of the other candles had been, and it illuminated the room with a soft blue hue. 

Bill went back to his book. He was warm. 

The demon fell asleep not long after that. He didn't know how long it would take for him to talk to Dipper. He thought about threatening him when he saw him again. Torturing him. Mutilating him. Whatever form of horror he could use to force the human to help him. However, thats not how Melody or Question Mark helped him. Bill didn't actually do anything.

They helped him because, as much as he doesn't want to admit it, he desperately needed it. 

Maybe Pine Tree would do that too. Then after Bill gets his memories back, he can kill the Pines family and finally go home as strong as he was a decade ago. He would never have to accept the charity of humans again. 

But until then, maybe hot chocolate and Pine Tree hoodies weren't so bad.


	5. Ignorance Shines Bright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill and Dipper have a talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! No I haven't given up on this story! I just didn't know what I wanted to do with it. Let me know what you think!

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about me already, Pine Tree.”

Dipper Pines was not the violent type, at least not when it wasn't completely necessary. He ignored the fights that broke out on campus and tried to resolve every conflict with words. To him that was much more powerful than any damage he could cause with his fists. However, looking into the glowing eyes of the demon before, all that went out the window. He didn't want to talk, he wanted to scream and slam Bill’s head against the wall until he was sure he couldn't get back up. He wanted to find every weapon in the house and attack the demon with it one at a time. He wanted to make sure the one thing he fought so hard against to save everyone he valued would never be able to hurt anyone again. 

“What the fuck are you doing here, Cipher? I thought we erased you.” Dipper asked through gritted teeth, tightening the hands around Bill’s throat. The demon didn't seem to have any interest in fighting back however, which was all the more worrisome. 

Bill’s smile stretched to the corners of his mouth, his teeth bared. “See, you humans are so greedy. Did you think getting Stan's memories back would only resurface the good things? Well too bad kid. I crawled my way out of your uncle’s head just like everything else did. It was a good shot though, really, I give you props! But youre gonna have to try a little harder than that.” Bill laughed, coughing at the effort it took to speak with the hands crushing his airway. 

Of course, why would anything be that easy? Dipper felt like an idiot, he should've known what it would cost to bring his uncle back. Nothing comes for free in Gravity Falls. And now he had to clean up the mess their reward came with. 

“I’d love to. You know, half the stuff in Ford’s lab I haven’t even touched. Never had anything to test it on, but it looks like I just found the perfect subject,” Dipper replied, smiling as the demon lost his smirk. He let go of Bill’s throat with one hand and reeled it back into a fist, because honestly, it was two in the morning. He was tired, too tired to deal with the hell thing that’s come to fuck up his life again. But before he could even swing, the lights above him came on with a blinding amount of light for his unadjusted eyes. He moved his hands to cover his face and Bill that as an opportunity to jump him. The demon pushed him to the ground and took his place on top of him, attempting to grab the younger man’s flailing hands. But Dipper was livid, and punched the demon in the face so hard he thought his knuckles cracked. Bill rolled off him with a yell and the human straddled him, pulling him up by the front of his shirt and moving to punch him again before he felt two large arms wrap around his chest and pull him up. 

“Soos! Get off of me! That’s Bill Cipher!” He screamed, kicking and flailing his arms and legs before Soos finally dropped him on the couch. 

“Cool it Dip Dop, we know,” Soos said. Dipper snapped his head up in surprise. Soos was looking at him in pure guilt, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. He was dressed head to toe in mystery shack pajamas, Melody matching his with equally hideous question mark patterned bottoms. She was sitting behind Zoos, helping Bill sit up and giving him a blanket. The demon’s right eye was visibly growing blacker, and the man couldn't help but feel a bit of pride in that, but he also was just noticing how much Bill was shaking. In all his anger Dipper completely forgot the demon was soaking wet, and with all the fighting the two had done, now so was he. He shivered with the revelation before Soos took off his hoodie and tried to hand it to Dipper to put on. But he didn’t want a hoodie, he wanted to know why the couple isn't telling him why they were allowing Bill Cipher to sit in their house.

Dipper didn’t mean to, but he couldn't help vocalize his anger. He glared at Melody and Soos, ‘You know? So if you know, why are you helping him? Are you letting him fucking live here? Is that what all these pillows and blankets are for? Do you not remember what he fucking did ten years ago?!” Dipper yelled at them. 

“Woah Dipper, you need to calm down. Just let us explain,” Melody replied, moving to sit on the couch next to them. Bill was silent watching the group with a smirk on his face as he shivered under the blanket. 

“Yeah. Please, explain. Explain why the two of you have been lying to me all day about him being here.” Dipper glared, refusing to sit down and instead just standing in the space between the couple and demon, glancing back and forth between the two. 

“I mean… dude. We were worried about you blowing up.” Soos said, backing away, because Dipper very much did “blow up.”

“So you just decided to keep this from me? And let this monster crash in your living room?”

“Who are you calling a monster, kid? I haven't even done anything yet,” Bill smirked, and laughed as Dipper glared at him. 

“Bill, shut up. Dipper, please, just… give me five minutes and I’ll tell you everything.”

So she did. She told him about how they found Bill in the woods last year, covered in his own blood down by the lake. She told him about how she and Soos took the demon back to the shack and tried to help him before they knew who he truly was. She told him about how pathetic and broken Bill looked with all his scars and cuts (Bill tried to interject here, he didn't like the use of the word “pathetic” in regards to himself, but Dipper threw a pillow at him and he shut up). 

The man was still upset, but he couldn't be angry at his friends any longer. They were just doing what they do best, helping people in need. Sure, they may have picked the wrong person to help in this scenario, but it was still a trait he admired in the two. Taking a deep breath, Dipper sat on the floor of the shack and took a good look at Bill. He didn’t recognize the vessel as anyone who had been in town, so maybe Bill had tricked some wanderer who had the bad luck of not knowing anything about the horrors of Gravity Falls. Whoever it was, Dipper didn’t think that they would want their body back in its current state. Bill’s entire body was covered in scars, running up the patch of exposed skin on his arms, all the way to his neck. Even his face had little white lines, ruining the otherwise blemishless face the demon stole. His eyes were yellow of course, bright enough to glow in the dark, but now that the lights were on Dipper could see that they were nowhere near as bright as his had been when the demon had possessed him years ago. In fact, the human could almost see hints of gray creeping out from the edges of his pupils. Though he tried to hide it underneath bared teeth and glaring eyes, Dipper could see how unhealthy the man was. Curled over himself and clutching a blanket for warmth, he could see why his friends had taken pity on Bill even after knowing who he was. If Dipper didn’t hate him so much, he might’ve even done the same. 

Luckily, he thought to himself, he still does hate Bill. Maybe now more than ever.

“What are you doing here Bill? I know you, accepting help from humans is the last thing you’d do. What do you really want?” Dipper sneered, crossing his arms and leaning towards the shivering mop of blond hair. 

“Well you see, he can’t-” Melody began, before the demon jolted up and turned towards Dipper. 

“I can’t understand what makes you think that I have to explain anything to you kid.” Bill smiled at him before throwing a look towards Melody. He couldn’t have Dipper know the real problem, not yet. Dipper is the hero of the story, but he doesn’t need to save everyone. He’d use Bill’s weakness against him and leave him to die if he thought it would help save his family, and Bill couldn’t afford that. No, he’d tell Dipper eventually, but not until he got him to warm up to him a bit first. He’s done it before, Bill didn’t think that it would take a tremendous amount of effort to twist Dipper’s small mind in his favor once more. 

However, he started to second guess this thought as he was kicking and yelling at the stronger man to let him go as he was dragged up the stairs by his underarm. 

Dipper just rolled his eyes at the flailing demon in his arms. “You’re just as dramatic as I remember you,” Dipper scoffed, as he lifted his arm to throw the demon through his bedroom door. 

Bill groaned as his head hit the end of the bed and he landed on the floor of the room. Regaining his composure, he stared at the ceiling and laughed at all the details he found. Carvings of triangles in the walls, spilled ink staining the ground, and even the smell of oak that overwhelmed his nose. Bill didn’t come into this room often during his time at the shack, it always made him feel out of place. Of course he was, he tortured the kid that this room belongs to, but coming in here alone always set him on edge. Like, he would be turned to nothing if his presence was there too long. Now however, with Dipper Pines sitting on the floor beside him and staring down at him with pure anger, he almost felt like getting dragged in here was the exact invitation he needed to feel welcome. 

“So, Cipher. What’s the deal? What are you doing here? What did you do to Melody and Soos to convince them to let you stay here? What do you want?” Dipper asked quickly, shooting off questions faster than Bill could comprehend them. The rapid fire interrogation made Bill’s head spin, but he decided to just ignore the human until he could get his head on straight. Dipper, however, didn’t come to the same decision, instead he yanked the demon up by his collar until he was forced into a sitting position in front of him. 

Bill was starting to get annoyed. Admittedly, he found the whole tough guy act funny for a bit there. Hell, cute even. But after spending hours in the pouring rain only to come back to a house containing the one person he hates more than anything screaming at him, all Bill wanted to do was find a way to put Pine Tree on mute so he could sleep. “Would you relax? One question a time kid, you’re making my eyes twitch.” 

“How could you expect me to relax? In case you don’t remember, you’ve done nothing but put everyone in this shack on edge.” Dipper seethed, crossing his arms. 

“If I remember correctly, you’re the one that’s put everyone on edge tonight. You’ve done nothing but yell and interrogate people since I walked through the door.” Bill replied, unable to repress his smile as the human in front of him opened his mouth with a remark, and immediately shut it again. 

Dipper took a deep breath and uncrossed his arms, making eye contact with Bill. He would never admit it aloud, but Bill was right. All he had done was yell at people, which is somehow becoming a normal occurrence for him. He’s done it since he was a kid, allowing his head to seek out theories he made himself believe were true and immediately voice them, but this unfavorable trait of his grew worse in adulthood. To cut himself some slack, he was sitting beside the root cause of that, but it still wasn’t a habit he wanted to encourage. 

“Fine,” Dipper replied, standing up.

“Excuse me?” Bill asked, hesitant to follow. 

“I said fine. I’m too tired anyway. We can talk tomorrow. Now get out of my room.”

Bill, admittedly, was confused. He didn’t think it would take so little as the truth to make the human question himself. 

Bill slowly stood up, eyeing the younger man, before smiling and crossing his arms. “You’re doing this because you know I’m right about you being a bitch, huh?”

“What?! I-I no? That’s… hey, I’m not a bitch!”

“You’re totally a little bitch.”

“Get out of my room Bill,” Dipper said, grabbing Bill by his still soaking wet shoulders and showing him through the open door. Dipper frowned as the demon laughed and continued calling him a bitch before he shut the door in his face. 

Dipper groaned as the laughter coming from behind his door faded away. He finally let out a sigh. Not only was he feeling like shit after college, but now he had his former nightmare and still just as crazy demon living on his couch downstairs. The entire situation was making him feel…

Something. Which was more than he could say for himself in the past four years. 

The man shook his head. No, he was not going to find a positive in the demon being here. Bill had done something, stricken up a deal with Soos and Melody, anything that made them think it was okay for him to stay here. Whatever the reason was, Dipper was going to find out and put an end to it. He wouldn’t allow Cipher to hurt anyone again, because no matter what his friends believed, he was still the bloodthirsty demon that terrorized him years ago. The man had the scars to prove it. He had to remember that. 

But for right now, he was just another pain in the ass that fell in Dipper’s shoulder to deal with. One, he decided, could wait until morning. 

————————

Bill didn’t know what he expected to wake up to. After all, he was sleeping in the same house as his enemy, who had the annoying idea in his head that Bill was in the mood to be killed again. He expected at the very least to be strapped to a table in the basement, poked and prodded by a anxiety-ridden college graduate. The thought made him smile. 

However, rather than waking up fighting against restraints and needles, he woke up to the smell of black coffee, bacon, and pancakes. The shack was warm, all the heat coming from the bustling kitchen. He could hear the sizzling oil against the pan from the other room, and a lot of swearing coming from under someone's breath. Bill laughed, knowing Melody and Soos weren’t the type to use such language. 

Though the house was warmer than it normally was, the comforting heat didn’t stop the demon from wrapping a blanket around his shoulders as he stood up and walked into the kitchen. He was immediately hit with an aurama of melting chocolate and sizzling batter. Bill’s stomach started to rumble, and though he knew he had been much hungrier before, he doubted he had ever been more excited to eat. Especially since he knew how infuriated the human currently stumbling over himself would be simply watching he demon enjoy himself. 

“I didn’t think you were capable of anything other than making a fool of yourself, Pine Tree.” Bill laughed, and as if on cue, Dipper yelped and slipped on the kitchen floor, falling to the ground with a loud thud. “Yeah! Just like that!” The demon laughed even harder, grabbing the door frame to support himself before he made the same mistake. The human might be a bit more aggressive than he was in youth, but to Bill Cipher, Dipper Pines was the same clumsy and easily frightened kid he had met ten years ago. 

With a groan, Dipper quickly made his way up from the floor, being careful to not once again slip over the pancake mix he had now spilled all over the tiles. He glared at the blonde man in front of him, annoyed with how pleased he looked with himself. “And I didn’t think I’d see a centuries old demon snoring on my couch this morning, yet here we are,” Dipper sighed, returning his attention to the oil jumping off the bacon he was frying. He tried to ignore Bill as the man pulled out a chair at the kitchen table, but he was surprised to see his stolen sweatpants hanging loosely around the demon’s hips. Normally, he would be irritated that his enemy had the audacity to help himself to the younger man's clothes, but those pants were already too small for his slim figure. To see them too large on anyone, even Bill, was mildly concerning. Grabbing two plates from the cupboard, Dipper made two dishes stacked with bacon and pancakes, giving one plate a bit more of each, and setting that one down in front of Bill, who was trying to suppress his surprise that he had received anything at all. “Do you drink coffee?” Dipper asked, turning away from the table to pour himself a cup. 

Bill had already started clearing his plate, but he paused to respond with a shrug, ‘I’ve never had it. Question Mark and Melody drink tea, and I’ve never been a fan of hot leaf water.” Bill said, and smiled as Dipper snorted into his coffee cup. 

“Hot leaf water? You know, I never thought we’d have the same opinion on tea,’ Dipper said, smiling at the unexpected sense of humor coming from Bill, ‘I brought some of my coffee I had at school. It’s not the best, but it’s much better than leaf juice.” Dipper jokes, and without realizing, had poured Bill a cup of black coffee and set it down in front of him, before taking his seat across the table. 

Not caring about burning sensation it gave his hands, Bill picked up the mug and took a sip of the black liquid. ‘Agreed, much better,’ he nodded, continuing to sip from the cracked mug. ‘Speaking of which, where are those two anyway? I thought they’d be up by now making as much noise as they possibly could.” Bill asked, once again stuffing his face with pancakes. 

Dipper looked at him with confusion. “They didn’t tell you? They left earlier this morning to pick up Mabel and Pacifica from the airport. The girls flew in from Paris yesterday.” 

Bill almost choked on the piece of bacon he was gnawing on, “Shooting Star and Blondie are coming too? You’d think four people in this box was already enough to make it feel cramped.”

Dipper glared at the demon in front of him and crossed his arms. “We could always get rid of what doesn’t belong, that would clear up some space,’ Dipper sneered, and continued to do so as Bill’s head snapped up from his plate and his eyes flashed blood red right into Dipper’s own. ‘Besides, I haven’t gotten to see either of them since the holidays. Now that school is out for us, everyone is coming to the shack.” 

Bill didn’t want to ask, but he was sure that by “everyone,” that included the man who had held a grudge against Bill for the past forty years. As if dealing with Pine Tree’s mild agitation against him wasn’t enough, now he’d have to worry about Stanford Pines joining the mix as well, an issue that would sooner have Bill’s head on a stick than a conversation over coffee. Bill was hoping he could get Dipper to help him before the older twins returned, that way he could regain his memories and hurt them before they hurt him. However, he couldn’t focus on the upcoming arrival of Sixer quite yet. For now, his biggest challenge was to on Dipper’s good side so that he could rely on the human’s intelligence for help. 

Right now, this challenge seemed bigger than expected. Bill was hoping that upon the human’s arrival he would be able to use whatever magic he had left to make himself seem more appealing to Dipper. Maybe even use a bit of character to woo the kid over before tearing him to shreds. However, as Bill watched Dipper twirl a steak knife between his fingers like it was a drumstick, he figured it would take a lot more than fake flirting to convince Pine Tree to help him. 

That didn’t mean that Bill wasn’t going to try though. However, before he could even smile, the human had picked up his long ago finished plate and mug and began washing each dish before starting the conversation Bill had not been excited for, “So, Cipher, what exactly are you doing here? And what makes you think I’m going to let you live here much longer? And why ar-” Dipper started, his voice growing louder and louder before a dish towel hit him in the face to cut him off.

Bill rolled his eyes and lowered his now dish towel-less hand, ‘Anyone ever tell you you ask too many questions? None of which I have or want to answer by the by.” Bill smirked. 

Dipper sneered and pulled the towel off his face before throwing it to the floor, “I will make you talk Bill.”

“Oh, how terrifying,” Bill laughed standing up and crossing his arms, ‘And how do you plan on doing that, huh? Torturing me? What a fun Pines family reunion; I’m sure everyone would love to see what horrible things you’re capable of kid,” Bill smirked, relying on this being the same morally obligated kid he met a decade before. 

The demon’s hunch proved right, ‘I’ll kick you out if you don’t answer my questions.”

“You’d never find out much of anything if I’m not here, so either way you’re really the one losing kid,’ Dipper groaned and unfolded his arms, leaning back against the counter in defeat before Bill spoke again, ‘Ya know, I’d be happy to strike up an offer with ya Pine Tree! I’ll answer one question a day, and in return y-”

“No!’ Dipper yelled, quickly cutting the demon off as his eyes brew a brighter blue, ‘I am not doing anything for you! Whatever it is, no! You’ve tricked me too many times Bill, and if you think for a second I’d… I don't know! Kill people? Work for you? Be a puppet again? I am nev-” 

‘You show me how to be human.” Bill said, smirking at the growing confusion on the human’s face. Of course, this was what Bill intended, and his plan he’d been brainstorming for the past year all started with a simple yes, one he was certain would be sparked from the curiosity on Dipper’s face. 

As if tugged by a string, Dipper stood up straight and looked Bill in the eyes. “You answer one of my questions every day, and in return… I show you how to be human? Why would you want that?” 

“Again, you ask too many questions. Luckily for you, I’m feeling nice, so this one is on the house! My powers are as... well, powerful as they once were. One day, they might disappear all together,’ Lies. Lies that sparked ideas. Lies that won wars. Lies that, funnily enough, created trust. “I want to make sure that before that happens, I can survive without them. I’m not asking for anything major kid, just the basic stuff.”

Dipper, admittedly, was confused. Bill Cipher, the demon he grew to fear, was now standing in his kitchen in sweatpants asking for help to become human. A simple, strange yes, but over all simple task in exchange for any answer he could possibly ask for. All he had to do was say yes. 

“No.” Dipper said. 

Bill frowned, not expecting that as an answer, ‘Excuse me?”

Dipper rolled his eyes and continued, ‘I’m not an idiot Bill. If you were really losing your powers you’d be trying to find any possible way to get them back, not giving up to become a human. No, your powers may not be a strong as they once were, that I could figure out by myself, but you’re not losing them,’ The human smirked as the demon’s eyes flashed a crimson red, signaling that Dipper had been right in his accusation, ‘You’re here for something else, and if you want my help solving your problem,’ Dipper walked up to Bill and put a finger to his chest, ‘you will answer every question I ask, truthfully, and when I ask it. You will not hurt anyone in this town, or in my family. Finally, when I finish helping you, you leave and never come back. I never want to see or hear from you again, and I don’t want you causing any trouble in my dimension again. In return, I fix whatever problem it is you’re having and my family doesn’t kill you,’ Dipper smirked, ending every demand with a push on Bill’s chest until he stumbled back into his seat. The human couldn’t be happier knowing he had thrown the demon off his high horse, and had to suppress a laugh as a soft pink hugh grew on Bill’s face. If he hadn’t known better, he’d almost think this weakened state that his enemy was in was cute, “So, do we have a deal Cipher?” Dipper finished, holding his hand out for the demon to shake. 

Bill didn’t know how to respond. His plan was shattered, and he was left with nothing other than what Dipper was offering him. His hands were tied, there was no loophole in sight. If he wanted his memories back, he needed Dipper, and if he wanted Dipper, he would have to give up every hope of revenge he had. This wasn’t the same Dipper Pines Bill had met a decade ago. This was a man that had seen Hell and now knew how to control the fire. Bill didn’t have a choice. 

Unless…

Cipher smiled, the same cynical smile he had when he knew he had won. With a palm brightly lit with blue fire, Bill quickly grabbed hold of Dipper’s before his actions registered, and spoke, ‘Seems like brainiac here finally got smart, huh? You’re right, I’m not losing my powers, but I don’t have enough remaining to waste you and the rest of your miserable family,’ Bill growled, and gripped tighter as Dipper tried to rip his hand from the demon’s grasp, ‘And that’s a problem. One that you’re going to fix. See, I’m here because I can’t remember anything from the past decade, ever since your uncle tried to erase me out of his head ten years ago. I don’t remember what happened to me, and I don’t remember what caused my powers to weaken. Luckily, you’re going to help me remember. And as soon as I get mine back? I’m taking away yours. No memory of our deal, no memory of how much you hate me, and no memory of how much you love your precious Pines as I kill them all in front of you,’ Dipper was thrashing now, tears running down his face as Bill laughed. ‘I’ll have everything I want, and you will be left with nothing. Not even the guilt of this all being your fault.”

Dipper stared through his tears straight into Bill’s blinding blue eyes. “I’ll stop you. I’ll warn them. You won’t get away with this.”

“Ah the infamous line of a broken hero!’ Bill laughed, a maniacal one that sent a chill straight to Dipper’s core. ‘Relax Pine Tree! You’re not warning anyone. Cause when ya wake up, all you’re going to remember is a handshake, none of this. You’ll help me fix my problem, thinking you’ll win, when really you’ll just be walking you and your family to their graves.” Bill laughed as he tapped the panicked human between the eyes and watched as the once shaking figure turned immobile and fell right into his arms.

Bill lifted the human into his arms and walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs to his room. “You and I are gonna have a lot of fun Pine Tree. None of which, you will remember.”

________________

Dipper woke up to the sun in his eyes and a blanket pulled up to his chest. He checked his alarm clock flashing twelve in bright red numbers as he sat up with a groan. The memories of earlier in the day came rushing back. A conversation over breakfast with Bill, and nicely worded deal that prevented anything going wrong, and…

And his face in Bill’s chest as he was lifted up. Did he pass out? He had been exhausted, having not gotten much sleep the night before. 

Deciding this was the case, Dipper smiled. Bill had no way of harming his family, and all he had to do for answers was help Bill get his memories back. Dipper had won, and he smiled.

Smiles always shine brighter with the light of ignorance.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm going to try to update as much as I can, considering I write a few chapters ahead. However I'm always critiquing my writing, so it normally goes through a bit of editing before I post it.


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